Web splicing device



Jan. 3, 133. H. A. w. WOOD WEB SPLICING DEVICE Original, Filed June 20,1925 4 Sheets-Sheet m wm Jam. 3, 1933. H. A. w. woos WEB SPLICING DEVICEOriginal Filed June 20, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet Jan. 3, 1933. H, A, w W1,892,974

WEB SPLICING DEVICE Original Filed June 20, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 jaimzzaa Jan. 3, 1933. H. A. w. WOOD WEB SPLICING DEVICE Original FiledJune 20, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 f atentedl Jam e? H933 HENRY A. WISE"WOOD, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WOOD NEWSPAPER MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N.Y., A CORPORATION OF menus.

WEB SPLICING DEVICE Application filed. June 20, 1925, Serial No. 38,473.Renewed June 2, 1932.

This invention relates to a web changing mechanism for attaching thelast end of an expiring web to a new web roll without stopping the pressor reducing the speed.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a simple andpractical means for accomplishing the above mentioned purpose which willbe capable of operating at the present maximum speed of web presses andalso capable of operating at higher speeds than have been attainedheretofore; to provide in conjunction therewith simple means for movingthe expiring web out of its normal path into contact with the fresh rollat the moment when the splicing is to be done and not at any earlier orlater time; to provide for directly splicing the expiring web to therunning roll by positive means; to locate this positive means in aposition where it will receive the running web directly from the drivingbelt which operates it and bend it out of its path only a slightdistance into contact with the roll; to provide a roll having a yieldingsurface for accomplishing this result so that it will partake of theshape of the new web roll and to the irregularities thereof; to providean improvement in the paper cutting off device: and to provide animprovement in the means for propelling the new web roll so 3 that thesurface of the web roll will not bulge N out in front of the drivingmeans.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 isan end view of a preferred embodiment of this invention constituting apart of a web roll changing device and showin the web running in itsoriginal path;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the movement of the web into contactwith the surface of the fresh web roll;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same look- 4 inggin the direction ofthe arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

ig. 4 is an enlarged view of the trip and latch mechanism foraccomplishing the change shown in Fi s. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the new roll propelling means;

Fig. 6 is an end diagrammatical view of the propeller showing twopositions thereof;

Fig. 7 is a side view of the roll on reduced scale showing theapplication of paste thereto;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan of the roller and its operating parts forforcing the web against the fresh roll;

Figs. 9 and 10 are end views of two modifications of the last namedroller; and

Fig. 11 is an end view similar to Fig. l on enlarged scale showing amodification.

A number of inventions have been made for the purpose of attaching anexpiring web to a new web roll while the web is running. It usuallyinvolves a support or reel holding a plurality of web rolls and capableof being rotated independently of the press to bring these web rollsaround successively into the desired position. I have adopted in thiscasea triangular reel in which there are three sets of chucks or centersfor supportin three rolls at a time. I have also retained t e feature ofproviding belts running in contact with the running roll and properlypropelled at web speed to keep the web up to web speed at all times.

I have found that an indirect application of the expiring web to the newroll is not perfectly sure in its operation because not enough straincan be put on the expiring roll to makeiheweb adhere to the glue carriedby the fresh roll and because there are necessarily irregularities tothe surface of the fresh web roll so that the expiring web will notattach itself to the low spots. For these reasons,

the present invention involves the direct application of the expiringweb to the fresh roll by positive means comprisin a soft or flexiblesurfaced roller. This positive means is located in the angle between thepropeller belt for the expiring web and the surface of the new roll withwhich it is to be spllced,

. thusinvolving only a short motion of the web from its old path to itsnew one and permitting of the application of the positive means in apractical manner.

It will be understood that I have not shown any particular kind of pressor any special operating means for the propelling belt for running theexpiring web roll and some other of the press connections, because thisinvention is applicable to many kinds of presses and furthermore theprinciple on which the web is spliced is applicable to quite differenttypes of web roll change apparatus.

An important principle on which this splicarrangement depends is that afreely running roll in contact with the web bends the web about the newroll when the moment of splicing arrives and permits it to run in a pathaway from the new roll until that moment.

As stated, I have shown a reel 2 centered on a shaft 3 which is providedwith a gear 4 operated either by hand or by power through a shaft 5 andworm 6. On this reel are three web rolls A, B and C. The roll B is thenext roll to be used, that is the fresh roll, the one which is to bespliced with the expiring web. It will be noticed that it is also insuch a position with respect to the guide rollers that the we nevercomes into contact with it unless diverted out of its normal path. Theroll A is put into the reel at any time after the roll C reaches itsrunning position and is ready to take the place of the roll B by therotation of the reel in the direction of the dotted arrow in Fig. 1.

As has been done before in these cases, I provide propelling belts 7connected up with the press to run at press speed and pressing againstthe running roll C so as to insure that the web as it leaves this rollwill be running at web speed and prevent any variation in the speed ofthe web roll C. In other words, it prevents the roll C rotating fasterthan the web is called for and assists it to make up to web speed if anyresistance is encountered so that the rnnning will always be smooth andaccurate.

It has been stated that the fresh roll B is rotated in the direction ofthe arrow shown in Fig. 1. It is common to provide for this rotation butI have provided an improvement in the means for doing it. I find thatthe ordinary single hard roller which has been used for propelling thisweb roll forms a wave of paper in front of it. This is due to the factthat the paper on the roll is not wound absolutely tight, so thepressure of theroller distorts it and produces an irregular surfacewhich cannot be united uniformly with the running web. Sometimes theroll is larger at one end than at the other. For the ed by brackets 10carried purpose of avoiding the difliculty due to such irregularities Iprovide, instead of a single roll, two parallel pulleys 8 and 9 supportya cross shaft 11. On these pulleys I apply a belt 12 which contacts withthe surface of the roll B to cause the same to be rotated. This runningpropeller belt keeps the surface of the roll smooth throughout a smallarc and prevents the formation of a wave in front of it. The shaft 11 isoperated by a chain 13 from a sprocket 14 running from the shaft of aweb guide roller operated positively from the press at web speed.

Before the change is to take place and while the Web is running from theroll C, the fresh.

web roll B is'located at the reel in about the dotted line position inFig. 6. The belt 12 may be in contact with it and an arm 61 on the shaft30 is against the limiting stop 15. The roll B is not rotating. Thefurther rotation of the reel up into the full line position in Fig. 6and in Fig. 1 brings the roll B into position to start the action. pasteP has now been applied. When the pulley 8 is started by a clutch (notshown), it will start the roll B into rotation in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 2 before the reel turns to that position.

On each paper roll spindle 16 at one end The of the reel is located acam 17 positioned in the proper place around the circle relative to thepoint at which the paste is applied. In the form shown, this cam 17 proects directly opposite the spot P at which the paste is applied on thecircumference of this roll. When the cam moves from the position shownin Fig. 1 around to the position directly opposite that shown in Fig. 1,and the roll B moves to the position shown in Fig. 2, the cam pressesdown a cam piece 18 which is pivoted on a stud or shaft 19 on the arm ofthe reel. This acts in opposition to a spring 20 which is attached tothe frame of the reel. This forces back a hook 20 attached to the samestud or shaft 19, as shown in Fig. 2, beyond a projection 25 on thehandle lever 21. This releases the lever which is pivoted on anothershaft 22. A spring 23 attached to a projection on this lever 21 isconnected by a cable 26 running over a pulley 27 with a lever 28. Theseparts are duplicated on the two sides of the machine and the two levers28 carry a soft and yielding surfaced roll 29. This roll is formed sothat its surface at all points will yield to irregularities in the paperat the surface of the roll B. These arms 28 are pivoted on a rod 30 thatruns across the machine so that the roll 29 may swing from the positionshown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2 and into contact with the freshroll B. When released by the latch mechanism, the roll 29. drops bygra'v- Y niseaere time, is thus forced over toward the roll B until itcontacts with it. Then the roll 29 bears against the rear side of theweb which it holds in contact with the surface of the 5 fresh roll B.The parts are so designed that this point of contact is beyond the pointof tangency of the web coming from the surface of the expiring roll C sothere is a short arc on the surface of the new roll which is cov- 0 eredby the web and permits of the pasting of the web when the paste point Pcomes around to this point.

0n the hoolr or at leastfixed on the shaft 19, is an arm connected to alink 32 5 which is raised by the act of the hook in unlatching. Thispulls up a pawl 33 fixed on a shaft 3% supported on the machine,releasing a pair of arms 35 fixed on a shaft 36 and previously held downby this pawl. Extending out from the shaft 36 is an arm 37 having aweight 38 thereon which now is free to drop and pull up the arms 35having fixed thereon a cutting appliance 40. This cutter consists of arod or convex body extending across the machine and having a series ofrows of small teeth 41 on its circumference. These teeth thus come intocontact with the surface of the expiring roll as shown in Fig. 2. ,Asthe rows of teeth are located concen- 30 trically around a center, onerow or another will engage the surface of the web and cut it oil fromthe stub. (in the arm 3'2 is a trea- (lie 42 for restoring this cuttingmechanism F to its normal latched position alter the web 0 is severed.

The roller 29 which 1 have described as soft surfaced may be either aroller or fixed element but its surface is soft enough to adjust itselito the variations in the new roll.

This roller or other pressing element may be covered with rubber orother resilient composition or carpeting, plush, or brush bristies, sothat every part or? its length as well as its width or circumferencewill yield to 5 the variations in the surface the new web roll. it maybe made up of? e series ofseg mental rings with internsl springs iidesired, so that the rings cen yield anywhere throughout its area toadjust itself instantly and automatically to the irregularities in thesurface of the fresh web roll This is desirable for the reason that aweb roll is sometimes bigger at one end than at the other end, even itwound perfectly, will have high spots and low spots across By means ofthis arrangement, the expiring web is pasted 1 the fresh roll throughoutits entire with thus avoiding the ordinary diihculties due to the factthat previous constructions it has been pasted thereto positively onlyat the high spots in the diagrammatic form shown on the last sheet, theconditions above described are employed exce t l have shown the oldpropelling roller instead oi: the propelling belt for the fresh web rolland l have shown s difierent means for operating the roller 49, whichmay be, in this case, a hard surface roll as has been common. Here thelever 21 is provided with a link operating a bell crank 51 against aspring 52 which bell crank carries the roller 49. This operates the oldweb in a manner similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 except that theroller 49 does not touch the web roll and some of the advantages thathave been described are omitted.

Operation Referring back again to the first -form, will be seen that theoperation is very simple. The expiring roll located at C is moved downout of the Way by the gear 4: and worm 6 at the proper time. The freshweb roll B is posted and before the reel is turned to bring it up nearthe path of the expiring web, (see Fig. 2) the roll is set into rotationby the propolling belt 12. After the roll has rotated a little more thanhalf a revolution in splicing position, the cam 17 acts as has beendescribed. The latch 21 is released and the roll 29, or 49 as the casemay be, is brought down to a position in which it causes the old web toen age the roll B and to wrap around it a few degrees of thecircumference. The running web is spliced on at the spot P when thatcomes around to the position shown in Fig. 2. At the same time the oldweb is cut from its core by the severing device ll. The parts arerestored to their original condition by the depression of the treadle 42to bring the severing device baclr to the position shown in 1 and thedepression of the handle lever 21 into locking position. The hook, beingout of the influence of the cam 19, will automatically latch the handlelever and hold the roller 29 or 49 up out of the way. The press has notbeen stopped or slowed up during this period After the splicingoperation is over the new roll continues to feed to the press in theposition :3 shown in Figs. 1 and 52.

This constitutes a construction which is capable of operating at thehighest speed so far attained in press work and with enough to spare toinsure that it will operate at considerable higher speed if called on todo so. It is jS within the control of the operator and the operatingparts that control the speed of the web at this point are operated bythe press at the speed thereof so that the web runs smoothly and brealrsare reduced.

Although I have illustrated end described only two forms of theinvention, it am aware of the fact that other modifications can be madetherein by any person skilled in the art without departing from thescope of the invention es expressed in the claims. Therei'ore, I do notwish to be limited to all the de- 1. In a web replenishing device, thecombination with a reel having means for sup porting a plurality of Webrolls thereon, and means for rotating the reel, of a web roll propellingdevice comprising a Web engaging roll, means for rotating said webengaging I roll at web speed, a pulley rotating with said roll, a shaftparallel with the roll, a-belt for rotating the shaft from the webengaging roll,

a pulley on the shaft on which said belt runs, the belt operated by saidpulleys constituting a propelling means driven at the speed of the webfor engaging the fresh web roll and rotating it.

2. In a web replenishing device, the com.- bination with a rollerforguiding the web, means for positively driving the roller at web speed, ashaft positively driven from the roller, a pulley on the shaft, a pairof brackets pivoted on said shaft, a second shaft carried by thebracket, a pulley on the second shaft, a beltrunning on said pulleys atweb speed, a stop against which said brackets are adapted to engage forholding the belt in a limiting position when the belt is not running, areel for supporting a plurality of web rolls movably around a center,whereby when a web roll supported by the reel is moved into contact withsaid belt, said web roll may be rotated on its own axis and its speedaccelerated until it moves at web speed.

3. In a web replenishing device, the combination with a reel forsupporting a plurality of web rolls, means for rotating the reel tobring the web rolls successively into pasting and running positions, apair of propelling belts for engaging a web roll in running position andkeeping it rotating at web speed, means for operating said belts fromthe press at the speed of the web, a propelling belt in position toengage the surface throughout a small arc, and means for running thelast named propelling belt at web speed, whereby the fresh roll will bemade to rotate at the speed of the web.

4. In a web replenishing device, the combination with a reel forsupporting a plurality of web rolls, feeding belts for engaging a webroll in running position and keeping it rota-ting at web speed, meansfor operating said belts from the press at the speed of the web, aroller located at a point between the fresh web roll and the feedingbelts and engaging the running web on the side adjacent to the saidfeeding belts, means for moving a fresh roll into splicing position, andmeans whereby after the fresh roll has been moved into splicing positionthe roller engaging the web will be moved automatically against thefresh roll in a position to hold the running web against the surface of65 the fresh roll through a slight angle and insure the attachment ofthe web to a pasted area on the surface of the fresh roll.

5. In a web replenishing device, the combination with a reel forsupporting a fresh web roll having a pasted area thereon, of a rollermounted to rotate freely on the side of the web opposite the fresh webroll, a lever pivoted on the frame of the reel and having means forholding the roller up in normal running position where it will guide theweb in a path away from the fresh web roll, and means operated ,by therotation of the fresh web roll for allowing the roller to move therunning web directly into contact with the web roll.

6; In a web replenishing device, the combination with a reel forsupporting a fresh web roll having a pasted area thereon of a rollermounted to rotate freely on the side of the web opposite the fresh webroll, said roller having a soft and pliable surface throughout its area,a handle lever pivoted on the frame of the reel and having means forholding the soft roller up in normal running position where it willguide the web in a path away from the fresh web roll, the soft rollerbeing adapted to push the running web into contactwith the surface ofthe fresh web roll When released, a latch for holding the handle leverin position to keep said roller back away from the web roll, and meansoperated by the rotation of the fresh web roll for releasing said latchat apredetermined time and allowing the soft roller to move the runningweb directly into contact with the web roll.

7. In a web replenishing device, the combination of a roller-mounted torotate freely at the side of'the web opposite the fresh web roll, saidroller having a soft and pliable surface throughout its area, a handlelever having means for holding the soft roll up in normal runningposition where it will guide the Web in a path away from the fresh webroll, the weight of said roller acting at all times to tend to pull upthe handle lever and to drop and push the running web into contact withthe surface of the fresh web roll, a latch for holding the handle leverdown in opposition to said roller, a cam on the web roll spindleoperated by the rotation of the fresh web roll for releasing said latchat a predetermined time, a cam piece in position to be engaged by thecam when it turns to a certain position, and a latch for holding thehandle lever down, said latch being fixed with respect to said cam pieceand mounted to be moved with the cam piece by the cam.

8. In a web replenishing device, the combination with a guide roller onthe side of the web opposite the fresh web roll, a handle lever havingmeans for holding the roller up in normal running position where it willguide the web in a path away from the fresh web roll, the roller beingmounted so as to neeaevrtend at all times to move into a position topush the running web positively into contact with the surface of thefresh web roll, a latch for holding the handle lever back in oppositionto said roller, a cam on the spindle of the web roll, a cam piece inposition to be engaged by the cam when it turns to a certain position,and a latch for holding the handle lever back mounted to be moved withthe cam piece by the cam, and yielding means for holding the latch inposition for locking the handle lever in its position to hold the rolleraway from the surface of the web roll.

9. In a web replenishing device, the combination with a roller mountedon the side of the web opposite the fresh web roll, a handle leverhaving means for holding the roller in normal running position where itwill guide the web in a path away from the fresh web roll, said handlelever being pivotally mounted, yielding means for acting at all times totend to pull up the handle lever and allow the roller to drop and pushthe running web into contact with the surface of the fresh web roll, alatch for holding the handle lever down in opposition to said yieldingmeans, means operated by the rotation of the fresh web roll forreleasing said latch at a predetermined time, said mechanism comprisinga cam on the spindle of the web roll, a cam piece in position to beengaged by the cam when it turns to a certain position, a latch forholding the handle lever down fixed with respect to said cam piece butmounted to be moved with the cam piece by the cam, a web severing deviceoperable in connection with the expiring web roll, a pawl for holdingthe severing device in inoperative position, means for normally urgingit to move against the expiring web roll, and means connected with saidlatch for moving the pawl out of operative position when the latch ismoved to un-- locking position.

10. In a web replenishing device, the combination with a roller mountedon the side of the web opposite the fresh web roll, a han dle leverhaving means for holding the roller in normal running position where itwill guide the web in a path away from the fresh web roll, said handlelever being pivotally mounted, means for acting to pull up the handlelever and allow the roller to drop and push the running web into contactwith the surface of the fresh web roll, a latch for holding the handlelever down in opposition to said pulling means, means operated by therotation of the fresh web roll for releasing said latch at apredetermined time, a web severing device operable in connection withthe expiring web roll, a pawl for holding the severing deviceinoperative position, means for normally urging it to move against theexpiring web roll, and means connected with said latch for moving thepawl out ofoperative position when the latch is moved to unlockingposition.

11. In a web replenishing device, the combination with a roller mountedon the side of the web opposite the fresh web roll, pivoted means forholding the roller in normal running position where it will guide theweb in a path away from the fresh web roll, means for acting to allowthe roller to drop and push the running web into contact with thesurface of the fresh web roll, a latch for keeping the holding meansdown in opposition to said dropping means, means operated by therotation of the fresh web roll for releasing said latch at apredetermined time, a web severing device operable in connection withthe expiring web roll, a pawl for holding the severing device ininoperative position, and means connected with said latch for moving thepawl out of operative position when the latch is moved to unlockingposition.

12. in a web replenishing device, the combination with a support for arunning web roll and a fresh web roll, of means for guiding the web fromthe running roll to the press out of contact with the fresh roll, meansfor engaging the web on the side opposite the fresh roll, means on thesupport for holding the web engaging means in a position away from thefresh roll, a latch mechanism, and means connected with the fresh rollfor engaging the latch mechanism, as the roll supporting means is movedto bring the fresh roll into operative position, and allowing theweb-engaging means to move against the surface of the fresh roll.

l3. In a web-replenishing mechanism, the combination with means forsupporting a running web roll and a fresh web roll, of means forengaging the web on the side opposite the fresh roll, means on thesupporting means for holding the web engaging means in a position awayfrom the fresh roll, a latch mechanism, means connected with the freshroll for releasing the latch mechanism as the roll is rotated, wherebythe web-engaging means will be permitted to drop against the surface ofthe fresh roll, and a web severing device for severing the exhausted webfrom the running roll connected with said latch mechanism to be actuatedtherewith.

14. In a web replenishing device, the combination with means for movinga running roll and a fresh web roll into a position for the end of therunning web to be pasted to the fresh web roll, a pawl arranged to be 0erated by the combined movements of t e supporting means and the freshweb roll, means for severing the Web from the exhausted stub, said pawlnormally holding the severing means in inoperative position, acounterweight connected with the severing device for moving it intooperative position, and a treadle for withdrawing the severing deviceinto inoperative position and allowing it to be held back by said pawl.

15; In a supporting device for a web replenishing mechanism, thecombination of a pair of arms pivotally mounted, and 'a convex memberextending across the replenishing device on said arms and having aplurality of longitudinal rows of points pro]ecting therefrom around anarc, means for causing the engagement of said member with the expiringWeb and severing it from the stub thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

HENRY A. WISE WOOD.

